Two-pocket tobacco pouch with interlocking frames

ABSTRACT

An article (10) has two pockets (12, 14) for independently containing tobacco and two interlocking frames (22, 24) made of a substantially rigid material for maintaining a closed position and for maintaining a tobacco accessory (60). Openings (42, 44) to the pockets may be wide enough for convenient manual access. The pockets may be hermetically sealed. An outward surface (43) of the article may be formed of a flexible material.

This disclosure relates to tobacco pouches, such as a two-compartmenttobacco pouch with interlocking frames.

Handmade cigarettes are made, usually by the smoker, by wrapping arectangular sheet of cigarette wrapping paper of the length of thecigarette around loose tobacco. Cigarette papers for hand making, havinga moisture activated adhesive strip along one long edge, are usuallypresented in a small package of card from which one paper protrudesthrough a slot; the papers are folded longitudinally and interleavedinside the packet so that removal of the protruding paper causes thenext paper to protrude through the slot. The wrapping may be done byhand or by use of a cigarette rolling mat or by use of a small handoperated machine. The cigarette may include a filter, or not, accordingto the smoker's preference.

Tobacco for handmade cigarettes may be supplied in pouch-stylecontainers. Once the tobacco pouch is opened, the tobacco may begin tolose moisture and dry out. Some tobacco pouches may be made from aflexible plastic film, and a flap may be lifted to reveal an opening inthe film for access to the tobacco. Some tobacco pouches may be aresealable in order to prevent the seeping out of tobacco. For example,some tobacco pouches may be provided with a freshness seal that can bebroken open or provided with a plastic zip at the opening that may beresealable. On the other hand, some pouches may be not consideredreusable.

A consumer of ‘roll your own’ or ‘make your own’ cigarettes may utilizetobacco, cigarette papers, and optionally filters, for example. Thesemay be carried separately from the tobacco, but this may be inconvenientand may result in one of the components being mislaid by the consumer.

If papers or filters are placed in the pouch with the tobacco, they maybecome mixed with the tobacco and may be hard to find when required.Also, the relatively high moisture level, or humidity, of tobacco maycause the papers to become damp and the adhesive may be activated sothat the papers in the packet of papers adhere to one another, makingthem inconvenient to use.

It would be desirable to provide a convenient tobacco pouch that storesa quantity of loose tobacco and tobacco accessories sufficient to makemultiple handmade cigarettes. It may also be desirable to limit thetransfer of moisture to and from the tobacco. It may be desirable toprovide a stable opening to facilitate easy access to the tobacco andmitigation of accidental spills. Further, it may be desirable to providea tobacco pouch that may be comfortably kept in and retrieved from aperson's pocket or personal bag.

A reclosable tobacco pouch may include two pockets, each having anopening. A resealable member may cover each opening to maintain thecontents of the pocket. When the tobacco pouch is closed, the openingsmay face one another. An interlocking frame may be attached adjacent toeach opening and configured to separably engage to the other formaintaining the tobacco pouch in a closed position when engaged and toallow the tobacco pouch to move to an open position when separated. Inthe open position, at least one resealable member may be accessible by auser for unsealing the respective opening.

The tobacco pouch may be ready-to-use, including an amount of tobaccoand an optional tobacco accessory. The tobacco accessory may bepositioned in a tobacco accessory cavity formed between the interlockingframes when engaged to maintain the tobacco pouch in a closed position.When the interlocking frames are separated and the tobacco pouch isopened, a tobacco accessory tray may be formed in at least one of theinterlocking frames.

A tobacco pouch may include a first pocket and a second pocket, eachhaving a back panel and a front panel defining a tobacco cavity betweenthe back and front panels, an amount of tobacco disposed in the tobaccocavity, an opening formed in the front panel for accessing the tobaccoin the tobacco cavity, and a sealing member covering the opening tomaintain the tobacco within the pocket. The tobacco pouch may furtherinclude a first interlocking frame attached to the front panel of thefirst pocket about the first opening and a second interlocking frameattached to the front panel of the second pocket about the secondopening and configured to separably engage with the first interlockingframe. The tobacco pouch may be moveable between an open position and aclosed position, such that in a closed position, the first and secondinterlocking frames may be engaged, and a tobacco accessory cavity maybe defined between the first and second interlocking frames.Furthermore, in the open position, the first and second interlockingframes may be separated, and the first and second interlocking framesmay define at least one tobacco accessory tray.

The ready-to-use tobacco pouch may include a tobacco accessory. In theclosed position, the tobacco accessory may be inaccessible andmaintained in the accessory cavity between the first and secondinterlocking frames. In the open position, the tobacco accessory may beaccessible and at least partially maintained in the at least one tobaccoaccessory tray.

Each sealing member may be configured to form a hermetic seal over therespective opening before a first opening of the respective pocket.

Each sealing member may be configured to reseal the respective pocketafter a first opening of the respective pocket.

The first and second pockets may be hingedly attached to pivot betweenthe open and closed positions.

A method of using a tobacco pouch of the present disclosure may includereleasing the first and second interlocking frames to move the tobaccopouch into the open position; releasing, at least partially, the firstsealing member to access the tobacco in the first pocket; sealing thefirst pocket with the first sealing member to maintain the tobacco inthe first pocket; and engaging the first and second interlocking framesto move the tobacco pouch into the closed position.

The method may further include releasing, at least partially, the secondsealing member to access the tobacco in the second pocket after thetobacco in the pocket has been expended.

Utilizing a reclosable, ready-to-use tobacco pouch may provide a numberof advantages in storing the components for making a cigarette by hand.The tobacco pouch may store both tobacco and tobacco accessories formaking multiple handmade cigarettes in a convenient manner. The tobaccoaccessory volume may be sized to accommodate tobacco accessories, suchas a cigarette paper booklet, providing a convenient access tocomponents for making handmade cigarettes in one pouch. By providingmultiple factory sealed pockets, the tobacco in one pocket may be usedwhile the other remains factory-sealed, which may help to maintain thefreshness of the tobacco over time. The sealing members may facilitateresealing the tobacco in each pocket when not in use, which may alsohelp to maintain the freshness of the tobacco over time. By positioningthe interlocking frames in-between the pockets, the interlocking framesmay be rigid to define a stable opening without being a rigid touchpoints for a user when the tobacco pouch is in a closed position, whichmay facilitate comfortable storage, particularly, when a user places thetobacco pouch into clothing pocket adjacent the user.

The terms “front,” “back,” “inner,” “outer,” “upper,” “lower,” “side,”“top,” “bottom,” and other terms are used to describe relative positionsor orientations of the components of the pouch. The terms “front,”“back,” “inner,” “outer,” “upper,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” “left,”and “right” may be used with reference to panels or edges of the pouchwhen viewed. When describing components according to the presentinvention, these terms are used irrespective of the orientation of thepouch being described.

The term “tobacco” refers to a substance including tobacco, whichincludes tobacco blends or flavoured tobacco, for example.

The term “loose tobacco” refers to an amount of tobacco that does notretain its shape unless disposed in a pouch or is wrapped, for example,by cigarette paper.

The term “tobacco accessory” refers to a non-tobacco component used inmaking cigarettes, particularly handmade cigarettes, which includescigarette paper, a filter tube, a tubing device, a lighter, combinationsthereof, or packages or booklets thereof, for example.

The term “hermetic” refers to being airtight, substantially airtight,moisture impermeable, or substantially moisture impermeable, and may beused to describe a seal, a membrane, a compartment, or a volume, forexample. A hermetically-sealed compartment or volume may define aninterior that is hermetically sealed from an exterior environment, andvice versa.

The term “liner” refers to monolayer materials or multilayer materialscomprising for example two, three, four, five, or more differentmaterials that allow for forming a pocket. Suitable three-layer linersinclude an upper layer of polyethylene, a core of low density foam, or alower layer of polyethylene. Optionally, the liner may include a layerof adhesive that sticks to the interlocking frame when pressure isapplied to secure the closure in a way that the liner will be sealed tothe frame. Other suitable liner materials include, cellulosic fibers,such as pulpboard, wax, metal, or polymeric foils. Hermetic sealingthrough a liner may also be obtained by using a polymer coating suitablefor heat-induction sealing. Optionally, the liner may be formed of abiodegradable material, such as a biodegradable polymer.

This disclosure relates to tobacco pouches, such as a two-pocket tobaccopouch with interlocking frames. The tobacco pouch may include first andsecond pockets and an interlocking frame coupled to each of the pockets.Each pocket may have one or more panels defining a tobacco cavity and anopening formed in the one or more panels.

The tobacco pouch may include components for making handmade cigarettes,such as an amount of tobacco and an optional tobacco accessory. At leastone pocket may contain tobacco material. Preferably, both pockets maycontain tobacco material in respective tobacco cavities within thepockets. The optional tobacco accessory may be disposed between thepockets and maintained separately from the tobacco material in a tobaccoaccessory cavity.

The tobacco pouch may include pockets of various combinations of sizesor volumes. Preferably, the pockets may define the same or substantiallyequal volumes or cavities for tobacco. The pockets may be symmetric to,or mirrors of, one another. An even distribution of tobacco between thepockets may facilitate the prolonged freshness of the total amount oftobacco in the tobacco pouch. For example, each half of the total amountof tobacco may be exposed to air for roughly the same amount of timebefore being expended.

The pockets may be described as soft, deformable, or flexible, forexample, to provide a semi-malleable experience when handled or storedby a user. A soft pocket may provide a pressure-distributed, gentletouch point for a user, particularly when keeping the tobacco pouch in apocket adjacent the user's body, which may enhance comfort duringhandling and storage. A flexible panel material and the presence ofloose tobacco may contribute to the characteristics of the pocket's softfeel.

The relative sizes of the pockets and the tobacco accessory cavity maydepend upon the volume of handmade cigarette components so that all orsubstantially all of the components may be used up at about the sametime. For example, the reclosable tobacco pouch may contain an amount oftobacco enough to make about five, ten, fifteen, or more handmadecigarettes and may contain a number of tobacco accessories enough tomake about the same number of handmade cigarettes. In other words, whenall of the tobacco accessories have been used, all or nearly all of thetobacco may also have been used.

The reclosable tobacco pouch may include a pocket that is sealed beforefirst use to control the amount of moisture in the tobacco before a userfirst opens the pocket. The seal may be hermetic. The pocket may also beresealable to control the amount of moisture after a user opens andcloses the pocket. The pocket may be resealed hermetically. The amountof time that the pocket is open may be reduced by placing tobacco in twoor more pockets, which may preserve the amount of moisture in thetobacco remaining in unopened pockets until the user is ready to accessthe tobacco therein. The hermetic seal may be imperfect and stillmitigate the loss of moisture in the tobacco, for example, to theambient environment.

The first and second pockets may be hingedly attached to pivot relativeto one another between a closed position and an open position of thetobacco pouch. The pockets may pivot around one or more folding linesdisposed at an edge of each pocket. One folding line may be included.For example, a folding line may be formed by a weld, adhesive, a seam,or any combination thereof.

A foldable portion may be formed between edges of the pockets. Thefoldable portion may define a distance between the pockets thatfacilitates pivoting one pocket with respect to the other. For example,a foldable portion may be formed by multiple folding lines, a wide weld,an adhesive, or any combination thereof. The foldable portion may beformed of the same or different material than panels forming thepockets.

The first and second pockets may each include a front panel and a backpanel. Each panel may be formed of a liner material. The liner may beformed of a flexible material contributing to the enhanced comfort ofthe tobacco pouch when stored. The liner material may at least partiallyform a hermetic seal around a tobacco cavity. The first and secondpanels may be formed by different portions of the same liner sheet ordifferent liner sheets. The first and second panels may be formed of thesame material. Alternatively, the panels may be formed of differentmaterials.

A tobacco cavity may be formed between the front and back panels of therespective pocket. Each tobacco cavity may define a volume substantiallyequal to the volume in the other tobacco cavity. The tobacco cavity maybe hermetically sealed before a first opening of the respective pocket.For example, before a user first accesses the tobacco in a tobaccocavity, the tobacco cavity may be hermetically sealed to preservefreshness. The tobacco cavity may be resealable after the first opening.Resealing may provide a hermetic seal around the tobacco cavity.

In a closed position of the tobacco pouch, the front panels of eachpocket may be disposed opposite each other. The front panels may befacing in opposite directions. The first and second pockets may pivot,such that each front panel faces the other front panel in the closedposition of the tobacco pouch. The front panels may be disposed betweenthe back panels in the closed position. The back panels may be facing inopposite directions.

The front panels of each pocket may at least partially form an inwardsurface of the tobacco pouch, and the back panels of each pocket may atleast partially form an outward surface of the tobacco pouch, in theclosed position. At least the back panels may be formed of flexiblematerial contributing to the soft-touch of the tobacco pouch whenclosed.

In an open position of the tobacco pouch, the front panels of eachpocket may be disposed adjacent each other. The front panels may bedisposed substantially in the same plane in a fully open position. Thefront panels may be facing in the same direction. The back panels ofeach pocket may also be disposed adjacent each other and/orsubstantially in the same plane in a fully open position. The backpanels may be facing in the same direction. In a partially openposition, the panels may not be disposed substantially in the same planeand/or be facing in the same direction, but may still provide access tothe tobacco, tobacco accessory, and/or sealing member.

A pocket may include a side edge. The respective front and back panelsof the pocket may be at least partially joined at a side edge. Thetobacco cavity may be defined between the front and back panels and atleast one side edge. The tobacco cavity may be defined between the frontand back panels and two, three, four, or more side edges.

A folding line may be defined at or between side edges of two pockets. Afoldable portion may be defined between side edges of two pockets. Aside edge may be formed by adhesive, welding (e.g., heat welding), anyother suitable form of hermetically sealing panel material together, orany combination thereof. A side edge may be formed by folding over asheet of material, for example, when the front and back panels areformed by the same sheet of material.

An opening may be defined in one or more panels of a pocket. An openingmay be defined in the front panel of a pocket. The opening preferablymay be sized for a user to manually extract tobacco. For example, a usermay be able to pinch loose tobacco to extract it from the respectivecompartment in an amount sufficient for at least partially making ahandmade cigarette by providing a sufficient opening for the fingertipsof the user's hand to pass through. The maximum depth of the pocket,which may vary if a panel is formed of a flexible material, may requirethe opening to be wide enough to accommodate a user's hand in a graspingposition to extract tobacco from the pocket by providing a sufficientopening for the palm of the hand of the user to extract an amount ofloose tobacco.

Each pocket may be formed of two liners joined together and an openingmay be formed, for example, by cutting a sheet of liner material, beforesealing the liner sheets together or folding a liner sheet to form thepocket. An opening may also be formed after sealing the liner sheetstogether or folding a liner sheet to form the pocket.

A sealing member may cover one or more openings to maintain the tobaccoin the respective pocket. When attached to a pocket, the sealing membermay form a hermetic seal before a first opening. The sealing member maybe resealable and form a hermetic seal after a first opening.

The sealing member may be, at least partially, releasably attached tothe front panel and/or an interlocking frame, for example. The sealingmember may be lifted away from the respective opening to open therespective pocket to access the tobacco therein. The sealing member maybe releasably attached to the front panel by adhesive. When at leastpartially released, the sealing member may allow access by a user totobacco through the opening.

The sealing member may further be at least partially fixedly attached tothe front panel or an interlocking frame. The sealing member may befixedly attached to the front panel by adhesive or welding. A fixedportion may remain fixedly attached to the front panel or interlockingframe, as applicable, while a releasable portion may be releasablyattached to allow access to tobacco within the respective tobaccocavity.

The sealing member may be formed of the same or different material asone or more panels. For example, the sealing member may be formed of aliner material.

First and second interlocking frames may be separably engageable. Theinterlocking frames may meet and engage by pivoting the first and secondpockets toward a closed position. The interlocking frames may separateby pivoting the first and second pockets toward an open position.

The engagement of the interlocking frames may form a hermetic seal.However, a hermetic seal due to engagement of the interlocking framesmay not be necessary. For example, the sealing members may provide ahermetic seal for the tobacco, whereas the interlocking frames maymaintain a tobacco accessory, which may not need to be hermeticallysealed from the ambient environment to prolong its useful life.

The interlocking frames may be substantially rectangular in shape.However, any suitable shape for complementary engagement by theinterlocking frames may be used.

The tobacco pouch may include a closure mechanism. Either or both of thefirst and second interlocking frames may include a closure mechanism formaintaining the tobacco pouch in a closed position. An interlockingframe may include a protrusion or recess that engages a complementaryrecess or protrusion in the other interlocking frame. However, any othersuitable structures for maintaining a shape-fit, snap-fit, orfriction-fit seal between the interlocking frames may be used.

The interlocking frames may define a male-female connection including aninserting portion and a receiving portion. Each interlocking frame mayinclude an engaging portion in the form of a wall and including themale-female connection. The engaging portion may at least partiallyextend around, or surround, the opening to form a rim. The engagingportion may at least partially define a height of the tobacco accessorycavity. The engaging portion may at least partially define a side of atobacco accessory tray for maintaining a tobacco accessory relative tothe interlocking frame. The height of the tobacco accessory tray may besubstantially equal to or less than the height of the engaging portion.The height of the tobacco accessory cavity may be substantially equal toor less than the height of two engaging portions.

A lip portion of the interlocking frame may extend inwardly from theengaging portion, for example, at the base of the wall. The lip portionmay at least partially extend around, or surround, the opening. The lipportion may define a front surface that also serves as a bottom of atobacco accessory tray. The sealing member may be releasably and/orfixedly attached to the lip portion.

An aperture may be formed in each interlocking frame inward from theengaging portion and the lip portion. The aperture may be positionedco-extensive, at least partially, with an opening in the front panel ofa pocket.

The aperture may be smaller, the same, or larger than the opening. Thesealing member may be attached to the lip portion when the aperture issmaller than the respective opening. The sealing member may be attachedto the front panel when the aperture is larger than the respectiveopening.

A back surface may be defined, at least partially, by the engagingportion and the lip portion. The interlocking frame may be attached tothe front panel at the back surface. The interlocking frame may beattached to the front panel by welding, adhesive, or any other suitabletechnique to hermetically seal the interlocking frame to the frontpanel.

The interlocking frame may also include a release tab extendingoutwardly for manual engagement by the user to help engage and/orseparate the frames. The release tab may extend outwardly beyond an edgeof the pocket (e.g., a side edge) to be accessible by a user when thetobacco pouch is closed. The release tab may be substantially rigid orflexible. A substantially rigid release tab may impart enhanced tactilefeedback for engaging or releasing the interlocking frames. However, asubstantially flexible release tab may impart additional comfort for auser during storage.

The interlocking frames may be formed of a substantially rigid material.For example, the interlocking frame may be formed of a polymer. Thepolymer may be biodegradable. The rigid form of the interlocking framesprovides stable access to the respective opening, for example, whilesealing and resealing. Because in a closed position, the interlockingframes are disposed between the pockets, the rigidity of theinterlocking frame material does not contribute substantially todiscomfort when the tobacco pouch is stored. Alternatively, one or bothof the interlocking frames may be formed of a substantially flexiblematerial for increased comfort.

Each interlocking frame may at least partially define a tobaccoaccessory tray when the tobacco pouch is in the open position. Eachtobacco accessory tray may be at least partially defined by the engagingportion and the lip portion. The tobacco accessory tray preferably maymaintain, at least partially, a tobacco accessory. For example, atobacco accessory may rest upon the lip portion of the interlockingframe and be restricted from significant lateral movement by theengaging portion of the interlocking frame, which may at least partiallysurround the tobacco accessory.

The length and width of the tobacco accessory may be smaller than thelength and width of the tobacco accessory tray. The length and width ofthe tobacco accessory tray may be sized to fit the tobacco accessorywithout allowing for significant lateral shifting or movement of thetobacco accessory when placed therein.

The height of each tobacco accessory tray may be less than the height ofa tobacco accessory to be maintained therein. The height of the tobaccoaccessory tray may be about half of or greater than half of the heightof the tobacco accessory. The height of the tobacco accessory tray maybe greater than half the height of an associated cigarette paper bookletbut less than the full height.

The interlocking frames may at least partially define a tobaccoaccessory cavity when the tobacco pouch is in the closed position. Thetobacco accessory cavity may have a volume about equal to or less thanthe volume of two tobacco accessory trays. The tobacco accessory cavitypreferably may maintain a tobacco accessory in lateral and verticaldirections. The height of the tobacco accessory cavity may be aboutequal to or greater than the height of the tobacco accessory. A tobaccoaccessory cavity may maintain a tobacco accessory between the lipportions of the interlocking frames to restrict significant verticalmovement and inward from the engaging portions to restrict significantlateral movement.

With the above being described, the tobacco pouch may be understood tohave a closed position. In the closed position, the tobacco, sealingmembers, and the tobacco accessory may be inaccessible. The back panelsmay form an outward surface of the tobacco pouch. The outward surfacemay be flexible. The front panels may face each other. Tobacco storedwithin each pocket may be hermetically sealed from the ambientenvironment, and the tobacco pouch may have only soft touch-points forstorage.

The tobacco pouch may also be understood to have an open position. Inthe open position, the sealing members may be independently accessible.For example, the tobacco in a pocket may be accessible while resting ina tobacco accessory tray of an interlocking frame of the other pocket.The tobacco accessory may be removed from the tobacco accessory tray ofthe other pocket and optionally placed in the tobacco accessory tray ofthe pocket in order to provide access to tobacco in the other pocket.The front panels may be laterally adjacent one another. The back panelsmay be laterally adjacent one another.

A method of using a tobacco pouch having two pockets and twointerlocking frames may provide easy access to and storage of thecomponents needed to make a handmade cigarette. A user may release theinterlocking frames to facilitate opening of a factory-made tobaccopouch. Before accessing tobacco in a pocket, an optional tobaccoaccessory in a tobacco accessory tray associated with the other pocketmay be accessed. A sealing member of the pocket may be released, atleast partially, to access the tobacco in the pocket.

Once a user extracts the needed tobacco, the pocket may be resealed tomaintain the remaining tobacco within the pocket. The resealing may behermetic to preserve freshness. The interlocking frames may then beengaged to maintain the tobacco pouch in a closed position. The user maythen store the tobacco pouch comfortably in a clothing pocket or in apersonal bag, for example.

After the tobacco in the other pocket has been expended (e.g., due tounsatisfactory freshness or being completely used), the pocket may besealed. Also, the tobacco accessory may be moved to the tobaccoaccessory tray of the pocket corresponding to the expended tobacco. Thesealing member of the other pocket may then be released, at leastpartially, to access tobacco in the other pocket. Once a user extractsthe needed tobacco, the other pocket may be resealed to maintain theremaining tobacco within the pocket. The resealing may be hermetic topreserve freshness. Once tobacco in a pocket has been expended, the usermay refill the pocket with fresh tobacco for later use.

All scientific and technical terms used herein have meanings commonlyused in the art unless otherwise specified. The definitions providedherein are to facilitate understanding of certain terms used frequentlyherein.

As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” encompass pluralreferents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

As used herein, “or” is generally employed in its sense including“and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The term“and/or” means one or all of the listed elements or a combination of anytwo or more of the listed elements.

As used herein, “have”, “having”, “include”, “including”, “comprise”,“comprising” or the like are used in their open ended sense, andgenerally mean “including, but not limited to”. It will be understoodthat “consisting essentially of”, “consisting of”, and the like aresubsumed in “comprising,” and the like.

The words “preferred” and “preferably” refer to aspects of the inventionthat may afford certain benefits, under certain circumstances. However,other aspects may also be preferred, under the same or othercircumstances. Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferredaspects does not imply that other aspects are not useful, and is notintended to exclude other aspects from the scope of the disclosure,including the claims.

The schematic drawings are not necessarily to scale and are presentedfor purposes of illustration and not limitation. The drawings depict oneor more aspects described in this disclosure. However, it will beunderstood that other aspects not depicted in the drawing fall withinthe scope and spirit of this disclosure. Referring now to the drawings,in which some aspects of the present invention are illustrated.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a tobacco pouch in a closedposition.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the tobacco pouch of FIG. 1 in anopen position with the pockets pivoted along the foldable portion fromthe closed position.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an alternative tobacco pouch in anopen position having a tobacco accessory.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a cross-section of the tobaccopouch of FIG. 1 showing more detail of the first and second interlockingframes, in particular, as the tobacco pouch is closing or just afteropening, for example.

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a tobacco pouch 10 in a closedposition. The tobacco pouch 10 may include a first pocket 12 and asecond pocket 14. The pockets 12, 14 may be pivotally attached via afoldable portion 30 at side edges 16, 18 of the pockets 12, 14,respectively. The pockets 12, 14 may be maintained in a closed positionwith a closure mechanism 20 including a first interlocking frame 22 anda second interlocking frame 24 that may be separably engaged. In theclosed position, each pocket 12, 14 may define an inner panel that facesthe other inner panel and an outer panel that at least partially formsan outward surface of the tobacco pouch 10. In the closed position, theinterlocking frames 22, 24 may be capable of maintaining a tobaccoaccessory 60 (shown in FIG. 3) between the pockets 12, 14 in a tobaccoaccessory cavity 66.

Once the interlocking frames 22, 24 are separated, the tobacco pouch 10may be opened by pivoting the pockets 12, 14 along the foldable portion30. In the open position, each pocket 12, 14 may define a front paneland a back panel. The front panel may be defined as the inner panel inthe closed position. The back panel may be defined as the outer panel inthe closed position. The front panels may be adjacent each other and mayface in the same direction in a fully open position. The back panels maybe adjacent each other and may face in the same direction in a fullyopen position.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the tobacco pouch 10 in an openposition with the pockets 12, 14 pivoted along the foldable portion 30from the closed position shown in FIG. 1. Although not shown in FIG. 1,an optional release tab 26 may extend outwardly from interlocking frame24. Additionally or alternatively, the release tab 26 may extend frominterlocking frame 22.

As illustrated, the first pocket 12 may include a front panel 41 (e.g.,inner panel) and a back panel 43 (e.g., outer panel). The second pocket14 may include a front panel 45 and a back panel 47. An opening 42 maybe formed in the front panel 41, and an opening 44 may be formed in thefront panel 45. The interlocking frames 22, 24 may be disposed about therespective openings 42, 44.

Each opening 42, 44 may be sealed by a respective sealing member 52, 54.As shown, the sealing member 52 may be closed (covering opening 42 shownin broken lines), and the sealing member 54 may be opened (shown intransparently in broken lines for illustrative purposes). Also, asshown, sealing member 54 may include a releasable portion 56, which maybe releasably attachable to the interlocking frame 24, and a fixedportion 58, which may be fixedly attached to the interlocking frame 24.The releasable portion 56 may be releasably attachable to the frontpanel 45. When open, the sealing members 52, 54 may allow a user toaccess tobacco 32 contained within each respective pocket 12, 14.

Each of the interlocking frames 22, 24 may define a tobacco accessorytray 62, 64 for maintaining a tobacco accessory 60 (shown in FIG. 3) inan open position of the tobacco pouch 10.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an alternative tobacco pouch 110in an open position having a tobacco accessory 60. Some aspects oftobacco pouch 110 and tobacco pouch 10 may be substantially the same andsome aspects may be substantially different but interchangeable. Forexample, the tobacco accessory 60 may be used with tobacco pouch 10 inthe same manner as described below for tobacco pouch 110.

The first pocket 112 may include a tobacco accessory tray 162 thatmaintains a tobacco accessory 60, such as a cigarette paper booklet. Asshown, the cigarette paper booklet may have a flap that is openable toretrieve cigarette papers contained within the booklet. The secondpocket 114 may also include a tobacco accessory tray 164. While thetobacco accessory 60 rests in a tobacco accessory tray 162, 164, therespective sealing member may be inaccessible and thus the tobaccocontained in the respective pocket may also be inaccessible. However,the tobacco in the other pocket may be accessible. The tobacco accessory60 may be moved between the tobacco accessory trays 162, 164 toselectively access the tobacco in the other pocket.

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a cross-section of the tobaccopouch 10 showing more detail of the first and second interlocking frames22, 24, in particular, as the tobacco pouch 10 is closing or just afteropening, for example. As illustrated, each of the interlocking frames22, 24 may include an aperture 21 defined by a lip portion 25 and anengaging portion 27 forming a male-female complementary engagementbetween the interlocking frames 22, 24.

Each aperture 21 may be disposed co-extensively over a respectiveopening 42, 44 of the front panels 41, 45. Each sealing member 52, 54may be attached to a respective lip portion 25 of the interlockingfitments 22, 24 to maintain a respective amount of tobacco 32 within thetobacco cavities 61, 63 of the pockets 12, 14, respectively.

The tobacco accessory cavity 66 may be defined by the interlockingframes 22, 24 and the sealing members 52, 54. As illustrated, thetobacco accessory 60, which has multiple cigarette papers, may bemaintained between the lip portions 25 of the interlocking frames 22, 24and the sealing members 52, 54 in a vertical direction and inward fromthe engaging portions 27 of the interlocking frames 22, 24 in a lateraldirection. The tobacco accessory cavity 66 may be just larger in volumethan the volume of the tobacco accessory 60 to allow the interlockingframes 22, 24 to engage for closing the tobacco pouch 10 whilepreventing significant movement.

1. A tobacco pouch comprising: a first pocket and a second pocket, eachpocket comprising: a back panel and a front panel defining a tobaccocavity between the back and front panels, an amount of tobacco disposedin the tobacco cavity, an opening formed in the front panel foraccessing the tobacco in the tobacco cavity, and a sealing membercovering the opening to maintain the tobacco within the pocket; a firstinterlocking frame attached to the front panel of the first pocket aboutthe first opening; and a second interlocking frame attached to the frontpanel of the second pocket about the second opening and configured toseparably engage with the first interlocking frame; wherein the tobaccopouch is movable between an open position and a closed position, suchthat: in the closed position, the first and second interlocking framesare engaged, and a tobacco accessory cavity is defined between the firstand second interlocking frames; and in the open position, the first andsecond interlocking frames are separated, and the first and secondinterlocking frames define at least one tobacco accessory tray.
 2. Thetobacco pouch of claim 1, further comprising: a tobacco accessory;wherein, in the closed position, the tobacco accessory is maintained inthe accessory cavity between the first and second interlocking frames;and wherein, in the open position, the tobacco accessory is accessibleand at least partially maintained in the at least one tobacco accessorytray.
 3. The tobacco pouch according to claim 1, wherein, in the closedposition, the sealing members are inaccessible, and in the openposition, the sealing members are independently accessible.
 4. Thetobacco pouch according to claim 1, wherein each sealing member includesa releasable portion and a fixed portion, wherein the releasable portionis configured to be lifted away from the respective opening to open therespective pocket to access the tobacco.
 5. The tobacco pouch accordingto claim 1, wherein each sealing member is configured to form a hermeticseal over the respective opening before a first opening of therespective pocket.
 6. The tobacco pouch according to claim 1, whereineach sealing member is configured to reseal the respective pocket aftera first opening of the respective pocket.
 7. The tobacco pouch accordingto claim 1, wherein the first and second pockets are hingedly attachedto pivot between the open and closed positions.
 8. The tobacco pouchaccording to claim 1, wherein the back panels of the first and secondpockets comprise a flexible material and at least partially define aflexible outward surface of the tobacco pouch in the closed position. 9.The tobacco pouch according claim 1, wherein at least one of the firstand second interlocking frames includes a release tab configured to bemanually engaged to move the tobacco pouch between the open and closedpositions.
 10. The tobacco pouch according to claim 1, wherein eachinterlocking frame comprises a biodegradable polymer.
 11. The tobaccopouch according to claim 1, wherein each interlocking frame is attachedto the respective front panel by welding or an adhesive.
 12. The tobaccopouch according to claim 1, wherein the first and second pockets defineequal volumes.
 13. A method of using the tobacco pouch of claim 1comprising: releasing the first and second interlocking frames to movethe tobacco pouch into the open position; releasing, at least partially,the first sealing member to access the tobacco in the first pocket;sealing the first pocket with the first sealing member to maintain thetobacco in the first pocket; and engaging the first and secondinterlocking frames to move the tobacco pouch into the closed position.14. A method of claim 13, further comprising: accessing a tobaccoaccessory with the tobacco pouch in the open position.
 15. The methodaccording to claim 13, further comprising: releasing, at leastpartially, the second sealing member to access the tobacco in the secondpocket after the tobacco in the first pocket has been expended.
 16. Thetobacco pouch according to claim 2, wherein, in the closed position, thesealing members are inaccessible, and in the open position, the sealingmembers are independently accessible.
 17. The tobacco pouch according toclaim 5, wherein each sealing member is configured to reseal therespective pocket after a first opening of the respective pocket. 18.The tobacco pouch according to claim 17, wherein the first and secondpockets are hingedly attached to pivot between the open and closedpositions.
 19. The tobacco pouch according claim 3, wherein at least oneof the first and second interlocking frames includes a release tabconfigured to be manually engaged to move the tobacco pouch between theopen and closed positions.
 20. The tobacco pouch according to claim 18,wherein each interlocking frame is attached to the respective frontpanel by welding or an adhesive.